State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

San Diego Looks at ‘Geofencing’ to Slow E-Scooters

Route Fifty: In the span of a few minutes along Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter on Wednesday morning, this Route Fifty correspondent was nearly mowed down in crosswalks by motorists in a Maserati and a Lexus, who both carelessly blew through red traffic lights while making right turns. To add insult to a near-injury, the Maserati driver did so while nonchalantly chatting on her cellphone. Then on the next block, two people on Lime e-scooters zooming down the sidewalk weaved dangerously around a group of walkers.

It’s a tough time to be a pedestrian in many American cities, where situational awareness is more necessary than ever to be on the lookout for not only dangerous motorists but also dockless e-scooter users who treat their devices as playthings instead of as a carbon-friendly mobility tool.

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